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Doug Burgum is best known in North Dakota as the former head of Great Plains Software,
an accounting software company that he sold to Microsoft in 2001 for $1.1 billion.
Burgum worked at Microsoft through 2007 as a senior vice president. He has since formed
a real estate development company and a venture capital firm. He received the Theodore
Roosevelt Rough Rider Award, North Dakota’s highest honor, in 2009 for his business
success. His challenge to Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem (R) for the Republican
nomination for governor was his first foray into politics. While he wasn't endorsed
by the Republican Party, he defeated Stenehjem handily in the Republican primary.
In a state that hasn’t elected a Democratic governor since 1988 and where the Legislature’s
two houses are both controlled by Republicans, he is the favorite to win the election.

Editor's Note: Burgum didn't provide answers to Bloomberg BNA's tax questionnaire that sought his
opinion related to priorities on state and local tax issues, hurdles in enacting his
tax policy priorities, challenges in the tax and revenue realm facing the state in
light of market conditions and whether the state’s tax regime is properly balanced.
The following responses were developed from materials on his campaign website and
other news reports.

Bloomberg BNA:

What are your priorities related to state and local tax, if elected?

Burgum:

Burgum has said property tax reform is a priority for him. The North Dakota Legislature
has used state revenue from its oil boom to buy down property taxes throughout the
state for a number of years. While some legislators have questioned whether that can
continue given the decline in both oil and commodity prices, Burgum has suggested
that property taxes could be reduced if local governments were smaller and more efficient.

Burgum has said he supports the buydown of property taxes, but believes it should
be made permanent. He has said that as long as the buydown is listed as a budgetary
expense, its future will be questioned every two-year budget cycle.

Bloomberg BNA:

What existing state and local tax measures or initiatives would you seek to support?
Or curb?

Burgum:

Burgum has indicated that he is willing to discuss the idea of the state’s paying
for county social services to lessen the property tax burden on North Dakotans. The
legislators espousing the takeover have said it could be expensive and may not be
feasible when the state is facing declining revenue because of poor oil and crop prices.

Bloomberg BNA:

What is the biggest hurdle you foresee to enacting your major tax-related initiatives?

Burgum:

The obstacles facing Burgum’s initiatives will likely be the state’s economy and his
own tax pledge. Despite Burgum’s own success in creating a software company in North
Dakota, the state’s economy remains very much tied to oil and agriculture. Gov. Jack
Dalrymple (R) was forced to cut the state’s budget earlier this year and the Legislature
joined him in cutting it again in August. Since that time, tax revenue has continued
to be weak.

Burgum signed the Americans for Tax Reform tax pledge shortly after announcing his
candidacy. With it, he pledged to never raise the state’s taxes.

Bloomberg BNA:

What is the biggest challenge you see facing North Dakota from a tax and revenue
perspective, in light of current and evolving market conditions?

Burgum:

Burgum has said North Dakota needs to refocus its efforts in education and technology
to create higher-paying jobs and a skilled workforce. Focusing on science, technology,
engineering, the arts and math should improve education, he said, and create better
jobs for the state’s residents.

A smart, efficient infrastructure and vibrant communities should also help the state
economy grow, he said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Mark Wolski in St. Paul, Minn., at
mwolski@bna.com

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Ryan C. Tuck at
rtuck@bna.com

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